Is the pen more mighty,
or do blades cut deeper,
in the real?

Imagine the cursive stroke
against the parry and lunge
of cold steel

Pencils, like people, 
from carbon to carbon, 
add dust to the dust

A swordsmith, her forge a star,
strangely like a wordsmith,
who shapes blades on heaven

One burns in hell,
the other rises above,
to count down the days

These last days, this paschal time,
witness eyes upward, to seek
what ascends

What goes up...

Diamonds from carbon, intense
heat and pressure, crystallize 
everywhere

People, words, and swords,
people's words and swords

cc: Michael Chagall